Darth Vader knew his connection with the force was more then just a simple 'power', it was a part of him, it was him. He didn't need to rest, or sleep, to gain energy because it was simply to use the energy of the Force to sustain his being.

Noone he had ever met had been able to do the things he had, had never had the force inside of their very core. Noone, except his son.
The first time he saw him, the light of the force had burned his eyes, like laser against his scelra, it almost felt like they would melt. It hurt, but it was the most amazing pain he'd ever experienced.

His boy. Pure and burning and so very headstrong. It was both endearing, impressive and utterly frustrating. Because that light was something even he himself could not properly tame, nor fully manipulate. His son had grown so very strong in such a short time. Only twenty two years old and yet stronger then most Jedi that had ever traveled around in the Galaxy, and Vader would lie if he said he wasn't also impressed by the control his young son had over the Force - he himself had not been able to control it this way, not with the calm and utter natural binding to it.

When his son had given himself up to be taken and meet with the Emperor, Vader had struck before either one could react - killing the wretched being that he had called his Master, surprising Luke completely, enough to make him lower his guard. His son had stared at him for a long time, before breaking out in a blinding smile, voice emotional and excited as he babbled about how he just knew there was still so much good in his father and that they needed to contact the Rebellion to let them know about the fall of the Empire.

His sweet boy. Vader would admit that his own cold, black heart had clenched at the look of utter shock and disbelief when he had snapped a force-restraining collar around his son's delicate throat, without a word or warning, covered by a loving gesture as he had stroked his son's soft cheek with one hand and the other holding the collar. He had now removed his son's connection to the Force and in it also the fledgling Force bond that was between themselves, something that hurt himself more then he could explain in mere words. But it had to be done.

Luke did not go quietly with his Father after this. The boy had fought him with every thing he had left, and even with out the connection to the Force he was indeed powerful. But still not powerful enough to be a match against Vader, and it was a exhausted yet still screaming Luke that got draped over Vader's thick shoulder - kicking and cursing as he was carried out and away to the crumbling Death Star's space port.

Things went fast after that - Vader's skin and hair grew back, his organs healing themselves with the help of the dark Force and healers, to the point where he did not need to wear his mask anymore and also looked more like his old self, with some addition to new horrible scars left on his body. And noone dared oppose Vader's claim to become the new Emperor, nor his son's right to be the new Prince - noone except for Prince Luke himself, of course.
Vader had to resort to keeping his rebellious son locked in a shared room on the Executor, trying to curb the stubborn and very much angry young man with parental discipline, overbearing love, and patience. But even if Vader could get his son to cry and submit at the end of a spanking, it was a short respite, his son always quick to get back in fighting against any rule Vader might put on him for his own safety. It was impossible to break through his son's stubbornness, and after awhile Vader suspected it was simply because, while the boy was still young, he was after all an adult and was too old to control and manipulate the way Vader wished to. And then with the addition of having the old fools Obi-Wan and Yoda to train and brainwash the boy with their nonsense.

That line of thought sent the Sith Emperor to subject himself to search for a old Force lore, which once was also known as the old story about the Fountain of Youth. There was no fountain of course, and the use of doing such a thing as to make oneself younger with the power of Force was both banned and these days completely unheard of. But where there is a will there is a way, and someone as powerful as Vader always got what he wanted.

It wasn't a completely bad idea. He would turn his son younger again, to a age before he had started to be able to control the Force, a age where he was even more pure and innocent, more easy to handle too, in more ways then one. And also give Vader the chance to make new memories for the boy, and to get the chance to care for his son and be there as he grew up. Because the biggest gain here was that with the de-aging, the memories would go with the years that was taken, or given, depending on how you looked at it.

Vader brought his gloved hand up to rub at his own forehead, yellow glowing eyes closing as he heaves a great sigh, his ears catching the hiccups and sniffling of one newly spanked little boy that was standing with his nose pointing towards a corner. The boy's exposed rump was pink and red-ish in different spots, and now and then a hand reached back to rub at the stinging flesh.

He was smaller then even before as the boy probably hit what little growth spurt he had in his late teens, his body younger indeed, blonde curly hair almost white, and while he looked about twelve Vader knew he was actually around fifteen years old. But, sadly not in his mind. And he did not loose any of his memories either, as was first intended.

Vader now had a absolutely gorgeous, innocent, small and still very, very angry and upset teenager to raise. As bright as before even though he did indeed not have the same control or connection with the Force as he did when his body and brain had been older and more mature, so in some aspects the idea Vader had from the beginning was correct and made it easier to handle the boy. But in other ways it was still the same struggle.

Vader did love it though, he even adored the stubborn and incredible mischievous and intelligent mind of his small son, even when these talents were more often then not used to drive Vader insane, worried out of his mind and very trying his patience. Still the boy's emotions was also more of a teenager now, which meant he did unconsciously seek safety, comfort and guidance from his father. Like now, after being punished for trying to sneak out a secret emergency signal to his old Rebellion friends - before the boy was de-aged he would never accept Vader's comfort unless it was forced upon him, but now when Vader would allow the boy to leave his corner he knew his child would come and want to snuggle close to his father's chest, even going as far as nuzzle his small nose against Vader's chest.

It would be very slow progress, but a progress nonetheless, even if Vader had hoped for a more peaceful and easier way to connect to his son, a way that would not make him loose the hair that had slowly grown back after the death of his late Master.

But Stars did he love his son, and the challenge of it all.